Types of Appliances

Elastics

Elastics encourage your upper and lower teeth to fit together properly. To shorten your treatment time as much as possible, wear your rubber bands as prescribed so they’ll work efficiently.

Forsus Fatigue Resistant Device

The Forsus device uses springs that are attached to your braces and can be comfortably contained inside your mouth to apply gentle, constant force to your teeth to help correct your bite.

Palatal Expander

This appliance widens your upper jaw by gently pressing on your upper molars as you adjust it. Your orthodontist will give you thorough directions on self-adjusting your expander. You will wear the appliance for several months after achieving the desired expansion to solidify the expansion and make sure your palate does not regress.

Retainers

Both movable and fixed types of retainers are available. After your teeth have been straightened, retainers hold your teeth in the correct place. Your orthodontist will tell you how long you will wear your retainers and the proper way to care for them. You must wear your retainer as directed so as to prevent regression of your teeth.

Separators or Spacers

Placed between your teeth, separators look like little rubber doughnuts. They push your teeth apart so we can place orthodontic bands at the next appointment. While wearing separators, carefully avoid toothpicks, sticky foods, and floss. We will remove the separators before placing the bands.